Pirelli SpA and Russian Technologies today announced the launch of a second production line at their joint venture’s Voronezh plant in southwest Russia. The new production line – Voronezh 2 – has been upgraded to Pirelli’s advanced technological standards and will enable the production, from March 2013, of the compounds needed to produce Pirelli premium high performance tyres, especially for the Winter segment.

The launch ceremony was attended by Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Dmitry Manturov and the Regional Governor of Voronezh Alexander Gordeev, as well as Russian Technologies General Director Mr. S.V. Chemesov and the Chairman and CEO of Pirelli Mr. Marco Tronchetti Provera.

The plant’s modernization included the installation of new equipment, fully compliant with Pirelli’s quality standards, and required an investment of about 56 million euro in 2012. As well, the specialists at Voronezh were able to update their skills through training programs at Pirelli factories in Italy, Turkey and Germany.

By working together, Pirelli, Russian Technologies and the Voronezh Regional Administration have made Voronezh Tyre Plant the most modern tyre production factory in Russia in just one year. And there are plans to invest a further 44 million euro by 2015, when the plant will reach its full production capacity of 4 million tyres per year.

The total investment in Voronezh will therefore be 100 million euro, as already announced to the market by Pirelli in its 3-year industrial plan.

Mr. Manturov, said, “The project successfully implemented in Voronezh by Pirelli and Rostec shows that the Russian provinces have great economic potential which should be used for attraction of foreign investors.”

Russian Technologies’ Chemezov said: “This project is quite significant for Rostec. Our foreign colleagues’ experience and technology made us be sure that Voronezh Tyre Plant could be quickly reequipped and make world-class tyres. We managed to attract foreign partner and practically revive Voronezh enterprise by high-standard retooling. This will help us save current employment and also create additional jobs,”

“Voronezh Tyre Plant is an enterprise of special social and economic importance to Voronezh Region. We are pleased to see that provinces attract major international business and we are ready to provide all possible support,” said the Governor of Voronezh Region, A. V. Gordeev.

“Russia is a key strategic market for Pirelli. Voronezh Tyre Plant is a splendid example of a symbiotic collaboration between the Russian authorities, industry, and the experience and technology of an international company. We intend not only to produce world-class premium tyres that meet the needs of the Russian consumers, but also to create a large and efficient logistics center at the Voronezh tyre plant which will deliver to domestic and export customers,” said the Chairman and CEO of Pirelli & C. S.p.A., Marco Tronchetti Provera.